Now with the season of colds and flu upon us, it is wise to remember that we can help ward off some of those nasty bugs with extra doses of Vitamin C, either through ingesting lots of fruits and vegetables, or a good vitamin supplement. It is recommended that we take a supplement of at least 500 milligrams of this antioxidant when one is unable to acquire the fresh item. It is still considered safe to take up to 2,000 milligrams of Vitamin C per day, on a short term basis.
I believe firmly in taking extra C whenever I am under stress or exposed to somebody who has a cold and is coughing. At the first sign of a sore throat or sniffle, I can usually ward off the “bug”, or at least reduce it to a very minimum, if I take 500 milligrams every four hours twice a day. When I was nursing, we had a lady patient who was diagnosed with a form of cancer and was given only a couple of months to live.
She came into the hospital three years later with a recurrence of the cancer, but she said she prolonged her life by taking 2,000 milligrams of Vitamin C every day for a year and a half. Some doctors would question that statement but it worked for her. Also, long term use of C may cause kidney or liver damage and it is an acid so it may bother the stomach. One has to know how their own body reacts in different situations.
It has never bothered mine.
